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All girls have dreams, and some dream in Chanel. I hit a depot-vente in the 16th and 17th arrondissement and I felt like I found gold. These two areas of Paris are know for large beautiful buildings, very posh surroundings and loads of money. Many folks who are of this class move out of the centre of the city and settle here to have their families. As a result of such surroundings, the merchandise at these stores is amazing.
There are two stores, one in each arrondissement. The one in the 17th was bigger and had a huge selection of bags. I found brand new Ferragamo bags, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and of course Chanel and Hermes. They had just received two classic Chanel bags and were selling them for 1300 euros each. Most of the merchandise was in impeccable condition. I also saw brand new LV shoes for around 200-300 euros. Clearly, fashionistas who are connected, get free/discounted stuff and never use it. They decide to change seasons and get rid of the old season. There are alot of clothes and tons of Chanel pieces. The jackets started at 800 and went up. But....if you are looking for a Chanel piece, they are the place to contact. They have a website, ship overseas and it is tax free!! I will definitely go there again. Since the recession is starting to hit Paris, people are getting rid of their wares fast! With the dollar getting a little stronger, I would advise to jump on this soon if you want a classic bag, jacket or any other piece of luxury!
www.depot-vente-paris.fr
I spent a fabulous Sunday in the Marais. I initially just went for brunch, but ended up walking around most of the day and then decided to go to two shows in the hood. My first show was the Christian Lacroix show on rue Turenne. It was relatively calm at the entrance and not bombarded with photographers. I met some other fellow folks hoping to get in and who were also taking pics. I met a sweet girl who was decked out and of whom tons of people tooks pics. She had told me how she had gotten into a few shows and how she was really a student at the Sorbonne studying journalism. In any case, we admired all the beautiful clothes passing by and the fashionistas entering the show. We nearly got into the show, but they just closed the entrance when they let us in. Alas, we decided to head to the Givenchy show which was just a few blocks away at the Carre du Temple.
The chaos in front of the entrance was intense. We had just entered into the world of Goth fashion. The amount of leather and severe looks was impressive. I saw a group of boys who were decked out in skinny leather pants or leggings paired with platform boots. They definitely looked the part. The paparazzi were in force and attacked the few celebrities who passed. I saw Beatrice Dalle and Kanye West with his new sidekick, the bald girl. We also saw tons of fashionistas trying to get in. Even with an invitation, it was hard to get in and the crowd was growing and growing. It was definitely the show of the day. The outfits were amazing and the energy inspiring. I also ran into garance dore, the sartorialist and bill cunningham outside the show. I love fashion in action!!! Tomorrow is the Stella McCartney show......
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Bill Cunningham at the Givenchy show. I went up to him and told him how much I loved his work with the New York Times. He was so nice and gracious and said that he loved the energy that the young bloggers gave to the show. He was so cute in his very practical jacket and super comfortable shoes. I have no idea how old he is, but he certainly smiled and talked to tons of people outside. He is an inspiration to all of us.
Ok, I waited in line for 3 hours. The 
exposition of the items up for sale
was for only three days and then all of it was going to different homes, via the Christie's auction. I waited until the weekend was over to head over to the Grand Palais. Those two days, the expo was open until midnight and on Monday it would only be open until 1pm and then they had to prepare for the sale. So, I figured it was a weekday, how bad could it be? I was totally wrong.
I arrived at the Grand Palais to find a line of umbrellas winding around the building. I arrived at 9:30, a half hour after it had opened. The security guard there said no one else was allowed to wait because already the wait was 5 hours!!! I was stunned. But something inside of me said to wait and just see what happens. Alas, I waited around and the line started to move....quickly! Myself and several other people, mainly women who clearly had nothing else pending, followed the security guard and his metal gate(to keep us at bay) for a good twenty minutes. I
started chatting with a few people and some of them waited the day before for several hours, only to have been turned away. I do not know if I could have had that type of tenancity, but I kind of admired them for it. Only in Paris would you find people so in love with culture, art and style to wait in line for an art exposition!
Once inside, it was if you entered another world. The exposition was set up as rooms in YSL and Pierre Berge's apartments. The main apartment featured with the one on rue Babylone. On each walls, was a collage of sorts of the different textures found in the collection. It was mesmerizing. Upon entering you saw the muscular torso of a minataur, as if it was greeting you and letting you know you were in the garden of eden. There was haunting music playing and tons of people desperately craning their necks trying to get a peek and the luscious life of YSL and his partner.
The collection was created over a fifty-year period. One could see some of the phases they went through. There were alot of minaturs, male torsos (obvious), cobras and a wonderful desire for the exotic. My favorite piece was a metal owl made by german goldsmiths. It was estimated at 70,000 euros, but was sold for nearly 300,000 euros. I told my husband about it, but he just humored me and said that I probably didn't have enough pennies for the little owl. The Matisse painting that sold for 41 million dollars was really stunning. The most memorable pieces were the bronze heads from China. They were bigger than expected and seduced you with their beauty. If I were the government of China, I would want them returned as well. They were gorgeous.
All in all, the expo was an amazing experience. It was a chance to see a living collection before it was to be dissected and sent away to different homes. As one walked around, the collection represented a life that was clearly well lived.
Patrick Roger is one of the most amazing chocolate makers in France. He has a few boutiques scattered throughout the city, and each boutiques draws you in like Willy Wonka's chocolate forest. It is Easter time in Paris, and that means dramatic wonderful vitrines.
I fell upon his St. Germain boutique and was mesmerized by the colorful strange scene. Everything is done in chocolate. The hedgehogs, sardines and the cabbage patch scene are all done by him out of chocolate. There is nothing I like more than being impressed by the artistry in the city, and this vitrine simply supports my love for Paris.
Not only is he an artist with chocolate, but the chocolate is the smoothest and cleanest on the palate. You walk into his turquoise boutique and the pure smell of chocolate surrounds you. I have bought several boxes of his treats and I am always left with how wonderful it leaves your taste buds. I am heading there tomorrow to buy my hollow chocolate bunny filled with chocolate fishes and other little animals. You can find his wares at www.patrickroger.com. Happy Bunny Day everyone!!!
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